I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety locks for doors. More specifically, the present invention relates to a novel and improved safety lock for mounting upon the inside of a cabinet door for selectively locking the door in a closed position against a door frame member by use of magnetic forces.
II. Description of the Related Art
In the home environment where small children are present, certain safety procedures are often recommended. Among them is the recommendation that cabinets in which dangerous chemicals, substances and equipment are stored be restricted from access by the children, so as to prevent accidental poisoning or other injuries. Many various attempts have been made to provide a child-proof device to secure cabinet doors in a closed position.
Conventional cabinetry found in the home enviroment typically includes doors mounted upon stiles with the doors including handles to facilitate opening and closing. Cabinet handles are known to come in many various shapes or forms. One method of securing or "child-proofing" the cabinet doors is by using the conventional strap or loop type devices that attach to the door handles. However, many types of handle styles are incompatible with these types of locking devices. This is especially true where the cabinet doors have no handles but use a gripping ledge as a handle for opening and closing purposes.
Previously known safety locks have traditionally been mounted upon the exterior of the cabinet. In certain cabinet styles, it is preferred that any type of lock mechanism be concealed from view to prevent spoiling of the aesthetic appearance of the cabinetry.
In order to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the cabinets, several locks have been devised for mounting upon the inside of the cabinetry. The hidden or concealed locks, due to their hidden nature, provide better protection than visually apparent locks. One type of the concealed lock requires modification of the cabinet door to permit a lock release mechanism to protrude through the door itself. However, this type of lock may detract from the overall appearance of the cabinetry. Another type of concealed lock requires that the door be partially opened to disengage the locking of the door. As a result, partial entry may be sufficient to cause harm to the individual, if access can be made to the contents inside the cabinet. Furthermore, viewing of the opening procedure by a child may be sufficient for him or her to repeat the procedure when left unattended.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved concealed lock mechanism for securing a door in a closed position against a door frame member.